1993: the Good, the Bad, the Peculiar

In 1993, there was good wine news and there was bad wine news. Which do you want first? The bad? OK.

California wineries continued to suffer financial stress, often because of a new strain of the root louse (phylloxera) that we thought we’d conquered in the 19th Century. A number of wineries were sold and more went on the market. Hacienda Winery of Sonoma and Napa Creek Winery were bought by the legally challenged Bronco Wine Co. of Ceres, Calif. (see “Justice, American Style” below), to go along with the Grand Cru and Laurier brands that Bronco acquired in 1992.

Among the wineries that closed was Napa Valley sparkling wine pioneer Hanns Kornell Champagne Cellars. It went bankrupt and then was sold by creditors to winery owner Koerner Rombauer, who vowed to continue producing wine with the Kornell name.

This was the year the Robert Mondavi Winery went public to raise funds, rather than taking out loans. Mondavi needed money for expansion, replanting phylloxera-infested vineyards and other needs in which banks decided they would rather not involve themselves.

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Sadness hit the wine industry with the death of Julio Gallo, just weeks after the release of E & J Gallo Wine Co.’s first super-premium wine, a Chardonnay. Gallo, 82, was the chief winemaker for the firm and a leading researcher in wine quality and stability. The long-awaited Gallo Chardonnay, priced at $30, was followed by the release of an excellent Cabernet Sauvignon at a pricey $60 a bottle. The Gallo family also lost Amelia Franzia Gallo, 83, wife of Ernest Gallo, the president of the world’s largest wine company.

Another loss was Louis Roos Gomberg, 86, an industry pioneer who was the first to analyze wine business statistics and to watch trends.

This was the year a number of retail wine companies and their buyers suffered financial losses after a Michigan retail store sold more wine “futures” than it could deliver, and two British wine companies also went out of business in a collapse of wine futures.

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And now some good news: the release of an excellent new book, “Wine Atlas of California and the Pacific Northwest” by Bob Thompson (Simon & Schuster, $45). Cabernet Sauvignon became the most heavily planted red wine grape in California in 1993, edging out Zinfandel for the first time in history. And Pinot Noir got its degree of fame when Williams and Selyem Winery in Sonoma sold out of a tiny lot of Pinot Noir at $100 a bottle.

Here’s my annual list of the American wines that impressed me most this year, followed by a number of items that never made it to the news pages (many with good reason).

WINES OF THE YEAR:

Cabernet Sauvignon of the Year: 1990 Silverado Vineyards “Limited Reserve” ($40)--Jack Stuart continues to make stellar wine, and this one is a stunning example of power and finesse in a single package. There is deep, concentrated flavor here, but with a graceful layer of fruit that envelops your tongue and leaves a long, sweet, nuanceful finish.

Runners-up here are so great in number it’s hard to list them, but among those in the running for best wine was 1990 Gary Farrell “Ladi’s Vineyard,” ($18), which has more pure varietal character than any Sonoma County Cabernet I’ve tasted in years. I also loved 1990 Staglin Family Vineyards ($24), 1988 Beringer Vineyards Private Reserve ($35), 1989 Chateau St. Jean ($18), 1990 Geyser Peak Reserve Alexandre ($21), 1990 Swanson ($22).

Cabernet Sauvignon Bargain of the Year: 1990 Fetzer Vineyards “Valley Oaks” ($8)--Herbal notes and cherries, soft and appealing.

Sparkling Wine of the Year: 1988 J. Schram ($50)--The most expensive of California bubblies, but an intriguing experience, with fairly rich, toasty notes over a core of good fruit. I like a number of other bubblies as much, including L’Ermitage from Roederer, three offerings from Mumm Napa, two from Iron Horse, Deutz Reserve, Domaine Chandon’s Etoile and J from Jordan, but J. Schram (from Schramsberg) is the wine most likely to impress. And it sets a standard for carefully crafted rich-style Califoria sparkling wines.

Chardonnay of the Year: 1991 Acacia Vineyards “Marina” (Carneros) ($18)--Notes of citrus and pear and a faint honeyed character in a rich yet still crisp wine. I also loved the lime and lean 1991 Chateau Woltner “Titus” ($40), the fresh, lean and attractive 1991 Iron Horse Vineyards ($19), and the tropical and flavorful 1991 Arrowood ($19). But the Acacia offers the most Chardonnay-like character and has a rewarding full aftertaste.

Chenin Blanc of the Year: 1992 Baron Herzog, California ($6)--Stylish melon and citrus notes, very fresh and appealing, and a bonus in that the wine is kosher. I would have named the classic 1992 Chenin Blanc from Dry Creek Vineyards ($6), but the Herzog wine offers a bit more melony character on the palate. Well-made and tasty.

Gewurztraminer of the Year: 1992 Navarro Vineyards, Mendocino County ($8.50)--Spice and pear notes and classic dry finish with sweet-fruit notes. Runners-up 1991 Adler Fels ($8.50) and Z Moore ($10) were wonderful, too. The Navarro, however, always strikes me as dramatic testament to the fact that a bit of Alsace seems to come annually from Anderson Valley.

Semillon of the Year: Tie between 1992 Columbia Crest (Washington) ($7) and 1992 Hogue Cellars ($7)--Both wines have notes of pears and figs in an uncomplicated, delightfully fresh style. The Hogue is a trace more lime-scented, but both will become even better with a bit of age.

Runners up include 1991 Alderbrook ($8), 1992 Geyser Peak Semchard ($6.50), and 1992 Chateau Ste. Michelle ($8).

Riesling of the Year: 1992 Stony Hill Winery ($10)--Delicate nuances of citrus, melon and even a trace of white pepper make this wine a stunning example of delicacy and perfect varietal identity.

Runners-up: 1992 Firestone ($8), 1992 Smith-Madrone ($7.50), 1992 Chateau Ste. Michelle ($6.50).

Sauvignon Blanc of the Year: 1992 Rochioli, Russian River ($11)--Perfect harmonies of grass, olives and fruit combined with deft handling of oak make this Sauvignon Blanc a superb example of the breed. Also check out 1992 Gary Farrell, Russian River, “Rochioli Vineyard,” ($10); 1992 Davis Bynum “Shone Farm” ($8.50); 1992 Dry Creek Vineyards, Sonoma County ($9.25); and 1991 Gainey “Limited Selection” ($12). With all the over-oaked Chardonnays out there, Sauvignon Blanc is fast becoming the best white wine California makes, and this little list only scratches the surface of what’s available.

Sauvignon Blanc Bargain of the Year: 1992 Canyon Road Cellars ($5)--Similar to a fine Graves, but with more fruit, this second label of Geyser Peak is one of the best finds in the last few years of any variety.

Merlot of the Year: Tie between 1991 Markham ($14) and 1991 Swanson ($15). The Markham has pure fruit and spice, perfect balance and amazing drinkability. The Swanson is a bit more showy and complex with berry fruit. These two wines were narrow choices over 1991 Shafer ($14), 1991 Cuvaison ($22), 1990 Matanzas Creek ($28), 1990 Beringer “Bancroft Ranch” ($30), 1990 Gary Farrell “Ladi’s Vineyard” ($16), 1991 Arrowood ($26), and 1990 St. Clement ($20). What a stunning group of wines!

Merlot Bargain of the Year: 1991 Dunnewood ($6)--Loads of flavor burst from this fresh, quaffable red wine.

Pinot Noir of the Year: 1992 Williams & Selyem Winery “Rochioli Vineyard” ($45)--Burt Williams and Ed Selyem succeeded in selling a tiny amount of their Pinot Noir for $100 a bottle this year, but this wine is actually better, with an amazing intensity of smoky cherries and strawberries and layers of depth and richness in the aftertaste. Pure silk, worth trying. Runners up here included 1991 Gary Farrell “Howard Allen Vineyard” ($32), 1991 Chalone ($25), 1991 Acacia Marina ($18), 1990 David Bruce Reserve ($30). Pinot Noir has come into its own in California, and the Williams and Selyem wine, despite its price, sold out as soon as it was released.

Pinot Noir Bargain of the Year: 1991 Napa Ridge ($6)--Loads of varietal fruit and depth, a wine of immense charm and good depth for the price.

Zinfandel of the Year: 1991 Gary Farrell, Russian River Valley ($14.50)--This great wine topped an exceptional field because of its perfect varietal spice, raspberry fruit, deep flavor that includes a hint of French oak and long, complex finish. I also loved the 1991 Ridge “Geyserville” ($18), 1989 Beringer ($8.50), 1991 Seghesio ($8), 1990 Dry Creek “Old Vines” ($11), 1990 Hop Kiln ($12) and 1991 Rabbit Ridge ($8.50).

Zinfandel Bargain of the Year: 1990 Riverside Farm ($5.75)--Loads of spicy fruit and a rich, layered texture. Often seen around $4, quite a value.

WINE NEWS TO ME:

Justice, American Style: Late in the year, Fred Franzia, 50, president of Bronco Wine Co. of Ceres, pleaded guilty to a fraud charge that he misrepresented about one million gallons of wine, valued at $5 million. Franzia and Bronco agreed to pay $3 million in fines and Franzia agreed to step down as president of the winery for five years as part of a plea bargain agreement. A few weeks earlier, Angelo Papagni, 72, who had pleaded guilty in an almost identical case (in which 495,000 gallons of wine valued at $277,000 were misrepresented), began an 18-month jail term.

Quote of the Year: From winemaker Louis Martini, who was in Chicago to receive an award at the Midwest Wine Festival: “When you get to be my age, you get invited to be an honorary member of a lot of groups. I was made an honorary member of the Napa Valley Wine Library, but I can’t vote. And I’m an honorary member of the Napa Valley Chamber of Commerce, but I can’t vote. So it’s really nice to be here in Chicago. I’ve been here only two days and already I’ve voted three times.”

Rewriting Winemaking: A press release from Korbel Champagne Cellars announcing its new Armstrong Ridge brand said, “Champagne owes all of its superlative attributes to its bubbles. Bubbles are the key to the quality of the Champagne.” So it’s the bubbles after all! I guess grapes have nothing to do with it.

Selling Wine Like Perfume: Gustaf Anders restauarant in Costa Mesa offers 2.5-ounce servings of Opus One, the red wine with the $60 retail price tag, for $11. This equates, for those who’d rather not divide, to $4.40 per ounce, or a little over $110 for the bottle. Such a deal.

Typograpihcal Error: A press release announcing the release of Schramsberg Winery’s new 1988 J. Schram sparkling wine called the wine “J. Scram.”

Marketing Strategy: When the E&J; Gallo Wine Co. released its first super-premium Chardonnay at $30 a bottle, little did they realize how fast it would sell--to other wineries. A Sonoma County retail wine shop said it got a case of the wine and sold it a week later to a large local winery for the purpose of pouring it in blind-tasting comparisons with its own wine. “They figure their wine, at $20, was a better bargain, and they wanted to prove it,” said the retail wine shop manager.

Wine and Food Pairing of the Year: Fred Halpert, owner/chef at Brava Terrace in the Napa Valley, began a Tuesday tradition: Ribs and Zin Night. All six Zinfandels on the wine list are available by the water glass, straw optional. Halpert said the straw is “for the barbecue sauce-impaired,” referring to the sticky hands one gets when eating ribs.

What’s in a Name?: Napa Valley grower Andy Beckstoffer announced the acquisition of a 90-acre parcel of land that was referred to as the “To-Kalon Vineyard” in a press release. The announcement indicated that Beckstoffer, who owns about 1,000 acres of prime Napa Valley land, was also the owner of the To-Kalon name--which came as news to the Robert Mondavi Winery, which has used the name exclusively on wines from its 100-acre To-Kalon vineyard for more than a quarter century.

Unintended Meaning Department: Damaris Deere Etheridge, a descendant of agricultural equipment maker John Deere, owns Landmark Vineyards. The winery decided to change the name of its lowest-priced Chardonnay, which had been designated “Sonoma County,” to honor the name of the Deere family homestead in Moline, Ill. The wine was thus called “Overlook”--which reads like strange advice on a label.

Zin for the Road: A truck carrying high-quality Zinfandel grapes overturned near a Sonoma County winery, making the grapes legally unusable for commercial wine. But winery workers weren’t about to lose a chance to make wine out of them. They hauled the grapes in wheelbarrows to an empty tank, fermented them and aged the wine in barrels. The wine was “released” surreptitiously as Roadkill Red with a hilarious label, reading: “Produced and Bottled by CalTrans. A peppery Zinfandel with a hint of asphalt. Three stars in the Michelin Guide.” The wine, at $10 a bottle, rapidly sold out (illegally) to local winemakers.

Wine of the Week

1992 Corbett Canyon Chardonnay ($4.50)-- Fresh fruit like melons and pears, with a soft, fleshy texture and a lively, tasty finish. There is no oak in this wine to confuse the taste. An attractive everyday Chardonnay that occasionally is seen for less than $4.